Here's today's map of the military situation in eastern Ukraine, according to the National Security and Defense Council:
NATO warns of risk of heavy fighting:
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has warned there is still a risk of heavy fighting in Ukraine and urged Moscow to halt its support for separatists.
Stoltenberg was speaking on June 25 in Brussels at the opening of the NATO-Ukraine Council, which the alliance set up to coordinate relations with nonmember Kyiv after the end of the Cold War.
A February cease-fire brokered in Minsk by France and Germany has largely held but in recent weeks there has been an upsurge in fighting, threatening to undo the accord as the death toll tops 6,500.
"Cease-fire violations persist. There is still a risk of a return to heavy fighting," Stoltenberg said. "Russia continues to support the separatists with training, weapons, and soldiers; it has a large number of forces stationed on it's border with Ukraine."
Russia denies that it is directly involved in the conflict.
Stoltenberg said NATO remained committed to Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty, and would not recognize Russia's "illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea." (Reuters, AFP)
This ends our live-blogging for June 24. Be sure to check back tomorrow for our continuing coverage.